Consoling Mary

Freely flow her tears;
a dam so brimful
cannot contain
such towering waves.

Wondering that
my words fail
to give peace,
I reach out
and take her trembling hands.

Tearful,
I brush away
all her
bitter tears.


(13 April 2011)

Peter's Report

The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulcher

 on the Morning of the Resurrection by Eugène Burnand

Running all the way,

bent double in breathless pain

we peered and saw

the gaping grave

open to the rising sun.

Slowly we entered, our eyes sun-blind,

when we saw the empty bench,

the bloody cloth cast within.

I try to imagine

the piercing flash,

the sudden shudder

of His broken body,

His sharp breath exploding

like a swimmer breaking the surface,

when I saw John’s eyes

outshining the sun,

and my own face

lighting even death's

darkest place!

(24 April 2011, 31 March 2018)

The Denial of St. Peter

Caravaggio, The Denial of St. Peter

On the edge

hands clenched, 

sad eyes downcast

bitter fear forcing tight his lips

he holds his breath

he pauses

as the angry finger
of the state

points at his throat,

hard eyes searching Peter’s

indecision

for rash conviction;

but she, she knows

has seen before

his adoring eyes, heard his 

boastful voice

by the campfire

of the condemned.

Slowly he moves

toward the inevitable lie

as the bloody sun

stirs to song

the drowsy cock.

(7 June 2012)

In the Territory of the Gerasenes

Image: Solomon Raj

From deep inside

I heard them,

howling hatred

lashing me with my own hands

gashing the rocky tombs

with my own bloody feet.

Late at night

they cursed and fought

deep inside

my aching skull.

I was their prisoner,

and they were many…

But then I saw Him by the lake

and my soul leapt

even as Legion arose

as with my ragged voice they raged,

“what will you do to us?” 

but my soul cried louder,

“Save me!” 

Hearing us both,

He drove the dark spirits

from my unclean breast

and into the beasts….poor swine.

Madness cast them

into death’s deep pit….

but I could hear only

silence.

Peace

filled me.

My hand moved

only when I commanded,

and what my eyes saw

I clearly viewed.

The people of the village

fearing a man who could

compel demons,

begged Him to leave.

Blind fools!

If only they could see Him

as I do.

As he was going, I begged to go too

and stay forever in the light

of his face.

But this grace

was not

for me alone…

He told me to go

and proclaim without fear

how His love saved me

from my soul’s dark night,

and led me here,

into paradise.

(18 Feb 2013)

The Other Brother

It was a hot day in the field

when, returning at last

bone-tired, sore from

tending your stiff-necked flock,

I saw bonfires,

extravagant blazes lighting

the way to our house,

but not for me

home late from

work,

so I asked your servant

“why such celebration?”

That’s when my anger exploded;

…poor fellow, he bore my rage

and yelping away

cried it wasn’t his fault!

No, it wasn’t.

It isn’t.

It’s You.

You ask me to obey

and obediently I honor you every day.

With sweat and callused hands,

I cajole this stingy land

to give up a little wheat.

With my blood

I water these fields;

but when I wanted to show

my friends a little generosity,

I asked you for a stingy goat,

a meager feast, and

you said “no.”

So here he is, come home at last,

profligate brother…prodigal,

wastrel, drunkard,

sinner!

He’s back

and suddenly the prize calf

I worked so hard to make so fat is slain,

a royal feast for your favorite son

(though somewhat late) come home again!

But,

as always

my anger fades

in the glow of your summer love.

I don’t like this!

but you tell me

that your love does not diminish

but increases with the giving…

and, after all,

it is not every day that one’s brother

is to life recalled.

So for you, father,

I’ll look him in the eye

and let him back

into my life.

Eucharist

Caravaggio,Supper at Emmaus 

National Gallery, London

Walking through the dusty grove

we talked of death and empty graves

when a stranger suddenly appeared.

He walked with us and asked why we trembled so.

Amazed that he seemed not to know

of the blood and pain in Jerusalem,

we told him

how dark the day became, how the sun slid down

to shivering night

when, broken, our friend was placed in the cave.

Rebuking us for our lack of faith,

he explained how it was all foretold in the ancient books;

from Adam to David, the inevitable grave

insatiably claims

corrupt humanity

until now.

We heard, eyes cast down,

when at Emmaus he broke

our common bread

and looking up, we saw Him.

His face was blazing like the sun!

We blinked, and then he was gone,

but the bread remained.

(7 May 2011)

Passion in the Garden

In the long, empty night
I hear your song.

Longing I seek
but can only see
my own dying face
in shattered glass
and piercing steel.

I tremble in fear.
O, where have you gone?

Sing me again your soaring love-song

and show me the way,
for night’s a thin wall
and death, a porous veil.

(17 Apr. 2014)

The Baptism

I walked down from Nazareth with the crowd, 

nudged on by their excited chatter

and rumors of a crazy man by the river

shouting God at sinners,

thrusting them into the Jordan

like so much dirty laundry

to be rinsed clean and pure.

These are my people, 

hungry people

seeking new wine and

new bread, lepers

yearning to be cured,

But deep within me

silence grows,

and somehow I know 

that I am closer to Home,

though so far away 

from my father's workshop

and my mother's kitchen.

When John sees me

he takes my hands and gently 

pushes my face into the stream

befouled with the sins 

of the people...

I cannot see.

I struggle 

to rise and breathe,

from this watery death 

I want to be free,

and as I break through

I see His fire, I hear

His voice like a flash of wings

falling down on me,

calling me His Beloved Son,

telling the stunned crowd

to listen to everything

I will say.

In silence, 

I hurry away; 

into the empty desert 

I stray.

(7 Jan 2012)

Faith

Photo Brian Federle: Overcast in Oregon, 2008

Faith

is seeing my blood

coursing through

shut eyelids

and feeling

blood pushing down

into my arms and legs,

believing

it will soon return

to my darkly

beating heart.

But faith is more than

seeing

or believing.

Faith shines

like the cloistered sun

concealed by thick

autumn clouds.

Faith knows

all my childish lies,

and gently laughs

at my innocence.

Faith stalks me,

deep into my desert

where, trembling,

I wait for her famished arrow.

I love faith;

in her passionate embrace

I fall into my

darkest night.

I fear faith;

slave to her lacerating truth

reluctantly I walk

into her relentless light.

New Wine into Fresh Skins!

Renew me, wash me
in deeper pools open my
righteous, narrow mind,

for your wine over-
whelms, rends ancient seams, blood streams,
my weakness reveals.

Make me a new man
and I'll hold your wine within
my fresh, new-made skin.

**********************

"...nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine into fresh skins!" Mark 2:22

(19 Oct. 2012)

in the villages round Caesarea Philippi

Oh, we are

a faithless generation!

I saw the lying spirits

ensnare my son

throw him into the mud fouling

his boy's mind with fetid waters,

unleashing to fiery panic

his gibbering tongue,

but everyone shrugged and said,

"nothing can be done."

A faithless man, I prayed for faith

and He entered the fray,

commanding to silence

Satan's dubious claims,

with His mighty prayer

sending hell-ward howling

all our false and golden

gods,

and gave me back

my son!

(14 Sept 2012/ 5 Sept 2017)

St. Peter Addressing the Begger

Look up at me, turn

your wide eyes,

expectant, wondering,

hopeful, and see

what I can give.

Do you want a coin? Some-

thing good to eat? Do

you want a little

kindness?

I have none of these

to give you

but the kindness

and the secret of

the seeds of healing

flowing all around you

spring breeze,

swirling gentle desire,

blessing your torn lungs, infusing

your tainted blood, singing

sweetly your freedom!

In His name, then, I command you

to rise and take your place

beside me, and enter into

His holy temple!

(14 April 2013)

Rebuke

As fierce waves crash over my face
I gulp cold water, I flail
on rising tide,
but failing to find air
I despair and plead,
“why do you sleep
while in the storm I die?”

Yawning, sleepy-eyed you awake
and noticing my terror, wonder
at my lack of faith.

Frankly annoyed by howling wind
and complaining shipmate,
you rebuke both
to calm.

(17 Feb 2011)

Prodigal

You warned me
not to overfill
my cup.

You told me
how life can spill
and drain the cup dry,

yet still I imbibed,
pouring darkness
like hundred-proof light.

My feet flashed like lightning
setting fire
to the innocent world
when suddenly I stumbled.

Seeing you come
down the narrow lane
I crawled in sorrow
into your open arms
once again.

(25 Aug. 2013)

Levi Becomes Matthew

The Calling of St. Matthew by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio(1599-1600)

You call me out
of my money hole
and tell me to take you
to my home?

How can a rabbi like you,
so well known,
healer and
Anointed One,
come into my
unclean house?

But, please, come along,
at any rate, and
let me show you
my tawdry place!

All my friends see us
on the stony road
and ask to join
my sinner's feast;

but after dinner
you gently teach
your painful path
to perfect
peace.

(21 Sept. 2012)

Old Simeon's Blessing

Blessings

on this radiant child.

I'll smear his head 

with bitter oils, cool 

his brow with the waters

of paradise, 

and with sweet incense

raise to heaven

his soul!

...but I fear for the life

my failing eyes foresee

how the rich of this land

will fear him, strike him down,

covet even the air

he breathes,

and you, daughter,

the soldiers will pierce 

your tender breast

with heavy swords

tear an open wound

deep in your heart, 

to be a sanctuary

for all the mothers

of all the children

yet to be slain.

Most blessed

are you, my child, most holy

is your name.

        

 *

ref: Lk 2:34-35

(7 Jan. 2013)

The Boy's Gift

I only have

two little fish and

the five barley loaves

my mother packed

for my father and me

for our long

walk home.

I’ve been hungry before

and fear losing my little dinner,

but your eyes so fill my heart,

that, smiling, I give you all I have.

Oh, you must be the One!

for from my meager dole

you feed five thousand souls.

Never again

will I be hungry!

(5/28/2011)

The Elders Are Confused

You call us unruly children,

but you confuse us!

First, your cousin came,

eating insects, drinking honey,

preaching re-thinking,

shoving stubborn heads

under cold Jordan's

waves.

Clearly possessed!

Then along you came

laughing, eating, drinking,

with sinners consorting,

singing songs of paradise
to prostitutes.

So what's it to be?

Mourning

to John's dirge?

or dancing

to God's piper?


****
ref: Mt 11:16-19

(8 Dec 2011)

Faith and Disobedience

When I heard how you raised

the little girl who died,

with searching hands

I found you,

and felt a strange new thirst

for light,

So I begged

for a miracle.

You asked me

if I believed

that you really could do

such a thing,

could illuminate

my personal night.

Filled

with inexplicable

faith, I said

yes!

and when you touched my eyes,

I saw your face

with a newborn’s sight.

Lord, I cannot lock

your love,

inside my heart!

my very sinews will burst!

So, disobedient in my praise,

I  shout it out

through this bright, new day!

(12/2/2011)